KUCHING: A new cluster dubbed the Tanjung Genting Cluster has been declared by the State Health Department (JKNS) in Meradong district, Sarikei today.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said this community cluster had been detected in a settlement at Tanjung Genting, Sungai Mador, Meradong District in Sarikei Division.
“The index case of this cluster is Case 12,133, which was detected through symptomatic individual screening,” he said at the SDMC Covid-19 update press conference today.
“The case is a local man aged 66 who had been experiencing fever since March 8 and had undergone RTK Antigen screening at a private health facility. The RTK Antigen test was found to be reactive on March 10,” he added.
He said the index case, who worked at an eatery in Sungai Mador, Meradong, was then referred to Sarikei Hospital. A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rT-PCR) test carried out on March 10 found the case to be positive for Covid-19.
He said as a result of further investigation and active case detection (ACD) among family members and close contacts of the index case, an additional 21 positive cases were detected, including three reported today.
“A total of 66 individuals have been screened, whereby 22 tested positive including the index case, 39 tested negative, and five cases are still pending results,” he said.
Uggah, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, said all 22 cases had been admitted into Sarikei Hospital and Sarikei Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) for the purpose of isolation and further treatment.
He said JKNS had declared a total of 45 clusters in Sarawak this year.
As of today, 35 clusters were still active, whereby 64,046 individuals had been screened with 5,783 found positive and 57,001 found negative for the second screening, whereas 1,262 were still pending laboratory results.
“Of the 35 clusters still active, seven clusters have recorded an increase in cases today,” he said.
